Inline power (also known as Power over Ethernet and PoE) is a technology for providing electrical power over a wired telecommunications network from power source equipment (PSE) to a powered device (PD) over a link section. The power may be injected by an endpoint PSE at one end of the link section or by a midspan PSE along a midspan of a link section that is distinctly separate from and between the medium dependent interfaces (MDIs) to which the ends of the link section are electrically and physically coupled.
PoE is defined in the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) Standard Std 802.3af-2003 published 18 Jun. 2003 and entitled “IEEE Standard for Information technology—Telecommunications and information exchange between systems—Local and metropolitan area networks—Specific requirements: Part 3 Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Access Method and Physical Layer Specifications: Amendment: Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) Power via Media Dependent Interface (MDI)” (herein referred to as the “IEEE 802.3af standard”). The IEEE 820.3af standard is a globally applicable standard for combining the transmission of Ethernet packets with the transmission of DC-based power over the same set of wires in a single Ethernet cable. It is contemplated that Inline power will power such PDs as Internet Protocol (IP) telephones, surveillance cameras, switching and hub equipment for the telecommunications network, biomedical sensor equipment used for identification purposes, other biomedical equipment, radio frequency identification (RFID) card and tag readers, security card readers, various types of sensors and data acquisition equipment, fire and life-safety equipment in buildings, and the like. The power is direct current, 48 Volt power available at a range of power levels from roughly 0.5 watt to about 15.4 watts in accordance with the standard. There are mechanisms within the IEEE 802.3af standard to allocate a requested amount of power. Other proprietary schemes also exist to provide a finer and more sophisticated allocation of power than that provided by the IEEE 802.3af standard while still providing basic compliance with the standard. As the standard evolves, additional power may also become available. Conventional 8-conductor type RG-45 connectors (male or female, as appropriate) are typically used on both ends of all Ethernet connections. They are wired as defined in the IEEE 802.3af standard. Two conductor wiring such as shielded or unshielded twisted pair wiring (or coaxial cable or other conventional network cabling) may be used so each transmitter and receiver has a pair of conductors associated with it.
FIGS. 1A, 1B and IC are electrical schematic diagrams of three different variants of PoE as contemplated by the IEEE 802.3af standard. In FIG. 1A a data telecommunications network 10a comprises a switch or hub 12a with integral power sourcing equipment (PSE) 14a. Power from the PSE 14a is injected on the two data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16aa and 16ab via center-tapped transformers 18aa and 18ab. Non-data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16ac and 16ad are unused in this variant. The power from data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16aa and 16ab is conducted from center-tapped transformers 20aa and 20ab to powered device (PD) 22a for use thereby as shown. In FIG. 1B a data telecommunications network 10b comprises a switch or hub 12b with integral power sourcing equipment (PSE) 14b. Power from the PSE 14b is injected on the two non-data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16bc and 16bd. Data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16ba and 16bb are unused in this variant for power transfer. The power from non-data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16bc and 16bd is conducted to powered device (PD) 22b for use thereby as shown. In FIG. 1C a data telecommunications network 10c comprises a switch or hub 12c without integral power sourcing equipment (PSE). Midspan power insertion equipment 24 simply passes the data signals on the two data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16ca-1 and 16cb-1 to corresponding data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16ca-2 and 16cb-2. Power from the PSE 14c located in the Midspan power insertion equipment 24 is injected on the two non-data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16cc-2 and 16cd-2 as shown. The power from non-data carrying Ethernet twisted pairs 16cc-2 and 16cd-2 is conducted to powered device (PD) 22c for use thereby as shown. Note that powered end stations 26a, 26b and 26c are all the same so that they can achieve compatibility with each of the previously described variants.
Turning now to FIGS. 1D and 1E, electrical schematic diagrams illustrate variants of the IEEE 802.3af standard in which 1000 Base T communication is enabled over a four pair Ethernet cable. Inline power may be supplied over two pair or four pair. In FIG. 1D the PD accepts power from a pair of diode bridge circuits such as full wave diode bridge rectifier type circuits well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Power may come from either one or both of the diode bridge circuits, depending upon whether inline power is delivered over Pair 1-2, Pair 3-4 or Pair 1-2+Pair 3-4. In the circuit shown in FIG. 1E a PD associated with Pair 1-2 is powered by inline power over Pair 1-2 and a PD associated with Pair 3-4 is similarly powered. The approach used will depend upon the PD to be powered. In accordance with both of these versions, bidirectional full duplex communication may be carried out over each data pair, if desired.
Inline power is also available through techniques that are non-IEEE 802.3 standard compliant as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In order to provide regular inline power to a PD from a PSE it is a general requirement that two processes first be accomplished. First, a “discovery” process must be accomplished to verify that the candidate PD is, in fact, adapted to receive inline power. Second, a “classification” process must be accomplished to determine an amount of inline power to allocate to the PD, the PSE having a finite amount of inline power resources available for allocation to coupled PDs.
The discovery process looks for an “identity network” at the PD. The identity network is one or more electrical components which respond in certain predetermined ways when probed by a signal from the PSE. One of the simplest identity networks is a resistor coupled across the two pairs of common mode power/data conductors. The IEEE 802.3af standard calls for a 25,000 ohm resistor to be presented for discovery by the PD. The resistor may be present at all times or it may be switched into the circuit during the discovery process in response to discovery signals from the PSE.
The PSE applies some inline power (not “regular” inline power, i.e., reduced voltage and limited current) as the discovery signal to measure resistance across the two pairs of conductors to determine if the 25,000 ohm identity network is present. This is typically implemented as a first voltage for a first period of time and a second voltage for a second period of time, both voltages exceeding a maximum idle voltage (0-5 VDC in accordance with the IEEE 802.3af standard) which may be present on the pair of conductors during an “idle” time while regular inline power is not provided. The discovery signals do not enter a classification voltage range (typically about 15-20V in accordance with the IEEE 802.3af standard) but have a voltage between that range and the idle voltage range. The return currents responsive to application of the discovery signals are measured and a resistance across the two pairs of conductors is calculated. If that resistance is the identity network resistance, then the classification process may commence, otherwise the system returns to an idle condition.
In accordance with the IEEE 802.3af standard, the classification process involves applying a voltage in a classification range to the PD. The PD may use a current source to send a predetermined classification current signal back to the PSE. This classification current signal corresponds to the “class” of the PD. In the IEEE 802.3af standard as presently constituted, the classes are as set forth in Table I:
TABLE IPSE ClassificationCorrespondingClassCurrent Range (mA)Inline Power Level (W)00-515.41 8-134.0216-217.0325-3115.4435-4515.4
The discovery process is therefore used in order to avoid providing inline power (at full voltage of −48 VDC) to so-called “legacy” devices which are not particularly adapted to receive or utilize inline power.
The classification process is therefore used in order to manage inline power resources so that available power resources can be efficiently allocated and utilized.
At present, conventional inline fuses (resettable or non-resettable fusible links) are generally used to protect circuitry from faults which would cause over-current conditions. Such devices are typically designed to fault or “blow” at a certain absolute current value. They often require a certain amount of time to blow once that certain absolute current level has been reached or exceeded. This time delay can pose problems under certain circumstances. They also operate at fixed current thresholds which can, under certain circumstances, be a disadvantage.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a more intelligent form of current protection to circuits.